Dan

I'm not sure what's best or not best, but regardless of how inflation is calculated, I'm betting that we'll see that the rate of inflation has not increased in proportion to our increasing debt. So do we have 3.85% inflation or 5%, it really doesn't matter for this discussion. What matters is has the inflation rate risen to match our debt, thereby indicating that we're currently paying for our current debt with inflation. Yes, it is devastating to contemplate and perhaps a greater threat to our national security and way of life than anything we've known. Yes, military and roads are part of the government's job. But, if you say you want nothing from the government, then you're saying you don't want those roads or military. That's exactly my point. The internet has just as much to do with it as anything. The government paid for the creation of ARPANET (the direct precursor to the internet) through the DOD Advanced Research Projects Agency. So, government spending in the early 1960's directly led to the creation of the internet that we're all using today. You or I may not like the education being taught from public schools, but the reality is that without them, the majority of our country (myself included) would not get educated at all.

I understand what you're saying, but the truth is we're not paying for it. That's why our national debt doubles every time a butterfly in China flaps its wings (ok I just threw that in there to get the China reference in). Our national debt has continued to soar for the last 8 years, yet our inflation has only slightly increased from 3.38% in 2000 to 3.85% in 2008 (in 2007 it was 2.85%). So how are we paying for it through inflation? (BTW I picked 8years, not as a smirk on Bush, but because the website went back 8 years) Yes, you're right, fundamentally every dollar the government spends comes from us. However, they've gotten fairly adept at ignoring that concept and just spending ourselves right into China's back pocket. So, yes, we may and should eventually pay for this bail out/stimulus/war; but, to date we haven't and there's no plans for us to. Interesting that you're not in favor of any of the bailout/stimulus. What would you suggest we do? I'm generally curious. Fundamentally, I completely agree. But, then I wonder would the price of doing nothing be more than we're ready to pay? It's kinda like the people that claim they want nothing from the government, but they forget they drive on roads, go to public school, are protected by the marines, drive cars, are typing on an internet message board, etc. It's easy to say you want none of it - but the reality is it's quite a different story to really live without it.

The primary problem with your analogy is that the Government isn't knocking on anyone's door and taking their money. Not yet, at least. The current "stimulus" and bail out bills aren't raising our taxes. In fact, quite a few people get some form of a tax break. So, the government isn't taking anything from me to give to someone else. All the current plans/bills do is take money that no one has and gives it to someone else. Now there's a whole separate argument - should the feds spend money they don't have? But, this bill is no more socialist than the existing and previous government spending of tax dollars; it just spend more of that money on more stuff at one time. Will we raise taxes in the future to pay for this mess? Perhaps, but that's a later discussion. Let me just add... I find it interesting that so many get so upset over giving the American people $787 billion, the majority of it coming in the form of jobs and tax cuts - so people will work for several hundred billion of it. Yet, we recently gave banks and other lending institutions several hundred billion and all they had to do was ask for it. We now have $350 billion given to the banks with no oversight and large amounts known to be wasted or literally just given to individuals to put in their private bank accounts and there's relatively little outrage in comparison - so much so, that we're about to give these same people another $300 billion or so. Now that's what I find most interesting about this whole "stimulus" bill debate.

CNN is showing local Buffalo coverage. It looks horrendous. Sad news indeed. My prayers are with everyone in Buffalo that have loved ones traveling tonight.

Did you check "Screen Resolution" in the Display Properties, Setting Tab to make sure it's the right aspect ratio? That's about all I got.

But, it'll be easier to kill the mammals once the vegetarians are dead as well.

I love these Global Warming threads. I have a question, how do you propose we determine long-term trends, if not from the data at hand? Obviously, the more data you have, the better your trend analysis would be. But, the data in that analysis dated back to 1880. You're not gonna get much loner term than that. I would agree, that data does suggest that over the past 8 years, the temperature data is quite ambiguous. However, it is interesting when you look over the course of the last 100 years, "The ten warmest years all occur within the 12-year period 1997-2008". It certainly seems to indicate an overall warming trend over the last 100 years. So, is it fair to say that global temperatures are generally increasing or decreasing over the last 100 years? Are you suggesting that there is no good science on the subject either way?

Why not kill all the vegetarians AND the cows? Then we're doubling our impact.

Thanks for trying. I guess I could get facebook and try to be friends and all, but it sounds rather complicated and I'm not even sure any of it matters with this team. Thanks again though.

If you buy into the CO2 as part of the cause, there are lots of things you can do to reduce your "carbon footprint" such as unplug cell phone chargers and other such things, switch out your light bulbs, car pool, weatherize your home or turn the thermostat down/up, plant a tree, breath less (that was a joke), turn down the thermostat on your water heater, hang your wash to dry as opposed to using a dryer, buy locally grown foods, travel less, and others I'm sure. I'm not arguing any of those will make a hill of beans different or not, but those are the type of things that are claimed individuals can do that cost little or are beneficial to you.

Agree with some of the posts, there's way too much good food to limit it to one meal or place. There are literally a dozens - big and small. But, here's a few great places I enjoy: City Hall in NYC for Steak (used to eat there frequently, haven't enjoyed steak since) Giuseppe’s in Columbus, OH for Italian (for the atmosphere and friends as much as the food) Rutabagas in Idaho Falls, ID for a great surprise (just a great place) Rusty Parrot's Wild Sage in Jackson, WY best all around (unbelievable experience there) Christini's in Orlando, FL for honorable mention. (Absolutely no better food or servce - get the calamari, trust me.) The Bourbon Mall in Bourbon, MS for catfish, bourbon jugs and god only knows what else (now this place is one of a kind and in the middle of nowhere, literally)

Anyway to see these videos or Q/As for those of us not facebooked?

Dude's hilarious.

As near as I can tell, they're not on sale yet. But, I'm waiting....

Much agreed. I think this is someone that's completely misquoting or misunderstanding what they're reading: PURPOSE.—The National Coordinator shall per4 form the duties under subsection © in a manner con5 sistent with the development of a nationwide health infor6 mation technology infrastructure that allows for the elec7 tronic use and exchange of information and that— ‘‘(4) provides appropriate information to help 18 guide medical decisions at the time and place of 19 care; As I read that, I interpret it to mean the National Coodinator [for Health Information Technology] shall help develop the technology infrastructure that allows for appropriate information to help guide medical decisions. Now, I suppose you could say that's bad because this National Coordinator will be guiding decisions, but I think that's reading too much into it. I'd suggest they're talking about creating the digital records that doctors can access to help them guide their medical decisions. I guess the devil will be in the implementation. I didn't completely read the sections referring to "Meaningful Users" because I assumed there are similar differences in interpretation. However, the little I did read said that the HHS Sec. would have a grant program as an incentive for doctors to use the national database and that meaningful EHR users would get the grant funds, non users wouldn't. Again though, that was just a very cursory reading of a few pages related to meaningful EHR users. Certainly, the government getting involved with telling doctors what type of care to provide is a bug issue. But, I just don't see that here. All the language in this bill seems to be referring to the development and implementation of a national database. Now, maybe the next step will be to misuse that information to dictate care, but that fight will have to come at the time that bill is proposed.

Just curious... does anyone here know anyone from Pakistan? The few that I know pronounced is POKystahn, not PACKeestan. So, maybe he's not mispronouncing it as much as we all think?

I think we need a pic to answer that question.

Sorry. Didn't mean to insinuate that you had no skills. Just not mad skills.

Move the Bills to Toronto and I bet Buffalo gets off the list entirely.

So anything not tied down on my front porch is fair game? I'd say bad analogy. Provided someone has unlimited broadband, Id say stealing internet is about as minor of a theft as you could have. Because you're not really depriving someone of their internet, you're more accurately just sharing it without permission. And in the vast majority of instances, I'd wager this sharing only minimally degrades the payers experience if at all. So I'd say what's the big deal. Of course, if you're abusing the connection with nefarious activities and such then its a different story.

For any one interested, you can donate to the Australian Red Cross online.

Unbelievable news. My prayers are with you and all Aussies. Stay safe. To make it worse, I was just reading a news clipping that said they suspected arsonists were starting/aiding the fires. Just unbelievable.

No doubt. It's obvious this guy is on par or better then the best backs in the league. Another nice run, pushing the entire team 5 yards ahead. Also, is it me or does Cutler look horrid in comparison to Peyton?

For all those that complained about the Boss' halftime show at the Super Bowl.... I give the ProBowl halftime. Enjoy.

Not a doubt in my mind that if he'd have gotten one of those runs, he would have scored.